Shared Facilities Spotlight: Qualitative Methods & Analysis Collaborative (QMAC)

Post Date: June 5, 2026 | Publish Date:

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One of Cincinnati Children’s 30 state-of-the-art shared facilities, the Qualitative Methods & Analysis Collaborative, promotes the conduct of rigorous qualitative research

Understanding the experiences and perspectives of patients, families and communities is essential to designing research that is relevant, meaningful and impactful. The Qualitative Methods & Analysis Collaborative (QMAC) promotes rigorous qualitative research by integrating these voices, along with the perspectives of other key partners, throughout the research process. Investigators have access to consultation, resources and hands-on support for qualitative study design, data collection and analysis, from early concept development and grant applications through study implementation and dissemination. Additional conceptual and technical expertise is available for clinical, community-based, educational and advocacy-focused research, with services tailored to each project’s goals, scope and budget.

Supporting Researchers Across Disciplines

From clinical research to community-based projects, investigators turn to QMAC for expertise in qualitative, participatory, community-engaged and mixed methods research. Qualitative approaches often serve as a critical early step in developing complex interventions, helping teams gather insider perspectives that inform study design, implementation strategies and quality improvement efforts.

Qualitative methods are also frequently integrated with quantitative data to illuminate context, experience, and unexpected findings, particularly in multifaceted healthcare and public health research. More than 20 medical, surgical and allied health divisions have partnered with QMAC, along with external and international research teams engaged in community partnerships and multisite studies.

Expert Services and Training Opportunities

QMAC offers a comprehensive menu of services tailored to each project’s needs, scope and available resources, with support available throughout the research process.

Project support includes advising on:

Patient, family and community engagement
Study design
Funding proposal or protocol development
Study conduct
Dissemination of results

Training opportunities for study teams include:

One-on-one semi-structured interviews
Group facilitation
Alternative qualitative data collection techniques (e.g., Photovoice, Group Level Assessment, Delphi)
Coding and analysis including the use of qualitative coding software

QMAC also provides trained methodologists for:

Data collection (interviewing, facilitation)
Data coding and analysis

Workshops on qualitative and participatory research topics may be available upon request.

Expertise you can count on

Partnering with QMAC strengthens research rigor and relevance through best practice qualitative methods and intentional patient, family and community engagement. Two recent examples highlight this collaborative approach:

Carolina Bejarano, PhD, a pediatric psychologist in the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, collaborated with QMAC to explore perspectives on food and nutrition within Cincinnati’s Latino community. Using a community-engaged approach that incorporated adolescent co–researcher photography, the study prioritized youth perspectives on food security and culminated in a community-based exhibition ahead of publication.
Sonya Tang Girdwood, MD, PhD, and her research team partnered with QMAC on an ongoing study examining the acceptability and barriers to pharmacogenetic testing among children with medical complexity. Through interviews with parents and families, the work has identified opportunities to better support family decision-making and inform future implementation strategies for this medically fragile patient population.

Additional notable research achievements facilitated by QMAC include:

To discuss your project and research goals, fill out complete the intake form or contact the group at QMAC@cchmc.org

Learn more about our Shared Facilities in this video.